Trekking at Bonassola

If you are looking for trails with spectacular views of the Ligurian Sea, you must go to Framura, Bonassola and Levanto. Really. The hiking route that connects these three beautiful villages is surrounded by nature, it is easy and uncrowded and it has nothing to envy to the trekking routes in the nearby and well-known Cinque Terre. The other beautiful thing is that Framura, Bonassola and Levanto are also connected by the cycle path in the old train tunnels. So you can take a route one way and the other on the way back, or a mix of the two, or even spend two days exploring these areas. They deserve them!

The train is the best way to reach villages and starting points of the paths. If you start the trek from Framura, the car is also an option, but only outside of the summer season, because there is no much parking.
To reach the path to Bonassola from the Framura station, you have to walk in the road tunnel until you come out onto the little port: from here, you hike up using the staircase that cuts the road to the hamlet of Vandarecca. If you arrive by car, park in Anzo and take the opportunity to admire the old houses of this picturesque hamlet.

At this point you walk along the asphalt road of Vandarecca until it ends and becomes a path (always follow the white and red flag sign). You enter the Mediterranean shrub, with beautiful views of the sea.

The path between Framura and Bonassola takes about a couple of hours, at a quiet pace, for a total of 200 meters in altitude that, for the most part, are taken in the initial part of the itinerary. The first truly spectacular panoramic point is a rock overlooking the sea from where you can see all the clarity of the water between Framura and Bonassola. Also note the particular red color taken by the cliffs in this stretch of coast.

The path continues in the woods, with some ups and downs; at a certain point you meet a deviation to Montaretto, an interesting and scenic village that requires further uphill effort. Consider it for a drink at bargain prices at the very comunist Casa del Popolo (People's House). Continuing instead towards Bonassola, you keep on admiring beautiful views of the sea, also meeting vineyards and olive groves.

When there is just a quarter of an hour left to Bonassola, a detour to the right leads to the Salto della Lepre (Leap of the Hare). It is absolutely worth it following it, because it just slightly lengthens the itinerary and offers one of the most beautiful views of the trek. The Salto della Lepre is indeed a rocky promontory overlooking the sea, the most protruding cape of the coast between Framura and Levanto.

After the Salto della Lepre you can take the path to Bonassola, where you will soon have a panoramic view. Bonassola is a characteristic seaside village with a long beach, perhaps one of the most beautiful in Liguria. In summer it is crowded, as well as covered with beach-umbrellas, while out of season you can admire it in all its splendor.

Bonassola is really picturesque, with its Ligurian houses and the pedestrian alleys. If it were not for the causeway that separates the historic village from the sea (a road that used to be the old railway, and which today is part of the cycle path from Framura to Levanto), it would really be one of the most fascinating places in the world!

After admiring the village and relaxing on the beach, you can continue towards Levanto. You cross Bonassola and, instead of following the cycle path, turn inland, always following the white-red trail sign. The trail to Levanto starts between the houses, which takes no more than an hour and a half at a slow pace.
Along this itinerary there are a few villas and you have to cross the street in a couple of points, but not for the rest is another beautiful walke in the nature with amazing views.

When you reach the highest point, at 163 meters above sea level, the view opens onto the bay of Levanto, surrounded by greenery. While trekking you can see that you are surrounded by the Mediterranean vegetation and, if you are hungry, you can also find corbezzoli (arbutus) and prickly pears in the right season.

The last part of the itinerary consists of a steep staircase that goes down to Levanto along the gardens of some amazing villas.

The arrival in Levanto allows you to refresh and take a swim. The first beaches that you meet, close to the cliffs, are those with the clearest water.
To return to the starting point, you can walk along the galleries from Levanto to Framura as described here (the water that laps the rocks along the cycle path is fantastic), or you can take the train.
Alternatively, you can continue to Monterosso along the magnificent trail via Punta Mesco.

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